Arizona’s radical Senate President Russell Pearce conceded defeat to fellow Republican Jerry Lewis yesterday in “an unprecedented recall election.” The author of Arizona’s notorious anti-immigrant law SB 1070, Pearce languished under serious backlash to his extremism, which included a “forceful role” in pushing business tax cuts, abortion limits, and union restrictions. Despite his Tea Party supporters’ attempts to recruit a sham candidate and to deceive Hispanic voters, Pearce only earned 45 percent of the vote while Lewis earned 53 percent. “I’m grateful for the battles that we’ve won,” he said in his concession speech. “If being recalled is [] the price for keeping these promises, then so be it.” This recall, forced by a citizen petition drive, was the first for an Arizona legislator.